Electric cell



S pt 30, 1930- A. HELBRONNER ET AL 1,777,202

ELECTRIC CELL Filed April 19, 1928 Inventor: Andre Helbronner & Eric. Dvtt.

Patented Sept. 30, 1930 1,777,202

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mar: nnmmominn AND ERIC nu'rr, or rams, FRANCE ELECTRIC CELL Application filed April 19, 1928, Serial No. 271,376, and in France August 11, 1927.

Our invention relates to improvements in container, 3 is the depolarizer consisting of a electric cells; both in liquid and in dry cells. mixture of ferricyanide of zinc and graphite It consists essentially in the utilization at pressed against the carbon rod or plate 7, the the anode, as a depolarizing agent or active whole being placed on an insulating plate 2 substance of an insoluble ferricyanide (ferri- (porcelain, paper, glass, or the like), 4 is a cyanide of zinc, copper, silver, or the like). wrapping in cloth, absorbent paper, or the The depolarizing or active agent is placed like placed round the anode, 5 is a paste round a plate or rod of carbon, or the like, containing the electrolyte (chloride of zinc either alone or preferably mixed with pulfor example) the whole is covered with a 10 verized carbon, in the form of graphite coke layer of sawdust 6, on which is placed a seal v or th like, of pitch or like substance to render the appa- The second electrode or cathode of the cell ratus hermetic. is preferably composed of a metallic rod or Further it has been found that the reaction plate of an element having a high position referred to above is reversible and therefore 1 in the electrochemical series, as for example our invention may also be utilized to conzine. struct a secondary cell; it has been shown The electrolyte used varies with the nature that ferricyanide on the discharge is transof the substance selected for the cathode and formed into ferrocyanide at the expense of if, for instance, zinc is utilized'for this purthe zinc of the cathode, the reverse action pose, a solution of chloride of zinc, sulfate of may be effected by connecting respectively the zinc, double cyanide of zinc and sodium or cathode with the negative pole and the anode other alkali metal, chloride of calcium and with the positive pole of a suitable source of the like may be used. electricity.

EmampZe.-Assuming that the depolarizer Having now fully described our said inven- 25 or active substance at the anode is ferricyation, what we claim and desire to secure by nide of zinc and that the cathode is con- Letters Patent is: stituted by a plate of zinc, the chemicalre- 1. An electric cell having a mixture of actions which occur in the cell may be repreferricyanide of zinc and carbon as depolarizer sented as follows: or active slubstance at the anode substantially 30 as set ort so (Fe(CN) )2+Zn 2Zn2Fe(CN) 2. In an electric cell the combination of a The ferricyanide of zinc being converted depolarizer containing ferricyanide of zinc into ferrocyanide of zinc with generation of as active substance, a cathode composed of an electromotive force of about 2 volts. zinc, and a suitable electrolyte substantially 35 The accompanyin drawings illustrate reas set forth. 8 spectively by way 0? example, a liquid and a 3. In an electric cell the combination of a dry cell, constructed in accordance with our depolarizer containing a mixture of ferriinvention, but it is to be understood that we cyanide of zinc and carbon, a cathode comin no way restrict or limit ourselves to this posed ofvzinc and as electrolyte a solution of 40 particular mode of construction. zinc chloride substantially as set forth.

. Fig. 1, is a sectional elevation of a liquid 4. In an electric. cell the combination of a cell in which 1 is a rod or plate of carbon, depolarizer containing a mixture of ferri- 2 is the depolarizer or active substance (a cyanide of zinc and carbon, a cathode commixture of ferricyanide of zinc and graphite posed of zinc, and as electrolyte a solution of I Pressed i t 1) 4 i th d i i th Z1110. chloride together w th a suitable 1mwhole being contained in a receptacle 5, 3 is moblhzmg agent substanilauy as Set forththe electrolyte composed of a Solution of In testimony whereof we have hereunto set chloride of zinc. our hands- 50 F 2, is a sectional elevation of adry cell ANDRE HELBRON N ER.

- in which 1 represents a zincor like metallic ERIC DUTT. 

